Yet another Dumb Turret Press Question.

I have just come into posession of a new Redding T-7 Turret press. Let me see if I have this right, I'll still have to manually place a bullet in each case, I'll have to manually insert a primer in each case.
When do I charge the case with powder? Is it possible to mount, say, a Uniflow powder measure in a turret position. The press came with absolutely no instructions. The manufacturer evidently thought I would be knowledgeable enough to figure it out. Wrong.
Can anyone help? Does anyone know of a website?
Help.

A turret press is just like a single stage press, except you can mount more dies on it at the same time and rotate the turret to switch dies.

RCBS sells a case activated linkage kit for the RCBS Uniflow, so you should be able to mount a uniflow on the press using the assembly.

Are you new to reloading? If you are, I suggest you get your hands on a decent reloading manual to learn about this great hobby.

tbeb

January 15, 2005, 10:17 AM

Redding's web site is www.redding-reloading.com

cbsbyte

March 24, 2005, 05:58 PM

I have a similar problem with the press, because of no instructions. What size hex key do you use to remove the turret from the body? I called Redding, they stated a 7/16 allen is the correct size. A 7/16 is huge compared to the socket. But they ashured me it was the correct size. No it did not fit. And none of my other keys fit this socket. Any help would be appericated.

Charles

Hamonrye

March 24, 2005, 08:38 PM

Strange, Mine came with instructions. .322 is what I get on my calipers for the hex. Also when you remove the turret at the back of the press there will be a spring and ball bearing that can get lost real easy. I hope you enjoy the press. I have used mine for over 2 years and love it.

cbsbyte

March 24, 2005, 11:39 PM

Ok, great idea for measuring the socket hole with the calipers. My comes out to 3.21. So I would need a 8-9mm hex. For some reason I just realized all my hex keys are in MMs.

Charles

bogie

March 25, 2005, 12:32 AM

How much do you want for it?

BruceB

March 25, 2005, 12:37 AM

A good turret press is NOT just a place to store dies while you run all the brass through one step at a time. The Redding is a beautiful piece of work.

For efficient loading with a turret press, I find the following procedure to be extremely practical.

Place the dies in the turret in the same order as the operations need to be performed. To load straight-cased handgun ammo such as .357 or .44 Mag, for example, start by installing and adjusting the sizer for its sizing-depriming-repriming function.

Then rotate the turret to the next station and install/adjust the expander (or "flaring") die.

Now, install the powder measure in the next station....RCBS (and Lyman, I think) measures are threaded 7/8-14 just like the dies. Adjust the measure for the chosen charge and LOCK THE SETTING with pliers or even a small pipe wrench. This will absolutely prevent the setting from changing as a result of vibration. Ensure the measure's handle is positioned to clear the dies as it's being cycled.

If you're using a four-die set which seats with one die and crimps with another, now is the time to install the seater, followed by the crimp die, each of them adjusted as required. With a three-die set, obviously the combined seater-crimper is installed and adjusted in the station after the powder measure.

Now, LOCK all the stems and lock rings tightly.

In use, the case is sized-deprimed-reprimed, and the turret clicked to the expander step for belling, and then rotated to the powder-charging operation. Visual powder inspection is easy and you are only dealing with ONE case, not a blockfull. Occasionally I try to loosen the powder measure's locknut with my fingers, just to be certain that it's NOT moving. Charge weight is checked occasionally as well.

With the charge in the case, the turret is turned to the final step(s) of seating and crimping, and ...Heavens to Betsy... we have a LOADED ROUND about twenty seconds after we started production!

Instead of processing several hundred cases through each step, and taking a LONG time before actually producing a single loaded round, we only have two types of cases:

-inert, fired, dead-empty, ready for loading, and

-newly-loaded ammunition, ready to shoot.

We do not have a bunch of brass at some half-way point in the sequence, useless for anything as it sits, should the session at the bench be interrupted for some reason.

Due to greatly-reduced numbers of hand operations, considerable time can also be saved without rushing things. On my forty-year-old Lyman All-American, it's easy to load 150 to 200 rounds of handgun ammo per hour, safely and as mentioned, WITHOUT rushing at all.

I love my Rockchucker for many purposes, but compared to the turret bolted down beside, it the single-stage is painfully slow. When I bought the A-A turret back in the '60s, the contrast with my single-stage was so dramatic that I thought I'd gone to handloading heaven! We were shooting a lot of Bullseye Pistol competition and what a Godsend the turret was to me.

The turret is not just a place to store dies conveniently. Once the dies for each caliber are properly adjusted and their adjustments LOCKED, they can be removed from the turret and stored in their boxes, ready to be quickly re-installed the next time they're needed, and needing only very minor tweaking (if any) before resuming efficient production in that caliber.

Used in this manner, the turret is a useful intermediate-speed machine which splits the difference between a single-stage and a progressive. My Dillon 550 sits on the other side of the A-A, away from the Rockchucker. All three presses have their uses, but the turret sees the most hours of use by far.

SASS#23149

March 25, 2005, 01:04 AM

Their website shows the price @ 336.00,plus more money for the primer feeder.
This seems like a lot for a turret press.is it that nice a press in 'real life'?
Not meaning to start a cat fight.Just curious.

BruceB

March 25, 2005, 02:19 AM

Hoo boy, that DOES sound like a lot of moola for a turret press. Dillon sells their 550 progressive for $349, I believe, without dies but set up with shellplate etc. for one caliber.

Midway lists the Redding press (only) for $179, and the press with one set of dies and shellholder for $245.

I could probably see paying the $179, but sure as blazes I'd look for a better deal than that $336!!

Lyman's current turret press (T-Mag???) comes for more like $130, and is often available on Ebay for a lot less than that. It seems like a pretty decent press, in my limited experience with it on a friend's bench.

bogie

March 25, 2005, 08:32 AM

Here's the deal - you never hear about folks with Redding stuff grouching about having to send in/call in/whatever for lifetime warranty parts.

Because they don't need them.

Hamonrye

March 26, 2005, 02:35 PM

Sportsmans Warehouse in Lewisville sells the T-7 for $179.00 and the primer feeder for I think $28.00. I measured the diameter for the hex key needed to remove the turret not the bolt or the bushing. If you order an extra turret it comes with the bushing also. If you have any other questions let me know. The press is a joy to load with compared to most others. It is the most solid press I have used. I have seriously considered purchasing a DIllon 550 but I like to see that the primer is seated correctly and there is powder in the case. I am not bad mouthing the Dillon at all. Dont give up on it. I live in the Dallas area so if you need help let me know.

happy old sailor

March 27, 2005, 08:56 PM

i have an old (1965 purchase) Lyman Spar T. i used it as a single action without the inconvenience of changing dies. it did not have the facility of a handle to rotate the turret, it was grab it and grunt, so, single loading operation was the way to go. nowdays it is full of rifle dies, six holes yunno. it will not be retired as far ahead as i can see. it has served me well and i expect the Redding would be much better. either seems capable of lasting a lifetime.

halvey

March 30, 2005, 09:34 AM

Their website shows the price @ 336.00,plus more money for the primer feeder. That's MSRP, which no one pays. Like on everything.

fecmech

March 30, 2005, 10:18 AM

have an old (1965 purchase) Lyman Spar T. i used it as a single action without the inconvenience of changing dies. it did not have the facility of a handle to rotate the turret, it was grab it and grunt, so, single loading operation was the way to go. nowdays it is full of rifle dies, six holes yunno. it will not be retired as far ahead as i can see. it has served me well and i expect the Redding would be much better. either seems capable of lasting a lifetime.
__________________

Hey Sailor--I've got 2 spar "T" s and I modified them slightly. Drilled 2 holes into the side of the Turret( 1 before the size die and 1 after the seat die) and tapped them with 5/16-18 threads. I then screwed in a 3" 5/16 bolt in each hole and "voila" turning handles! If you are still loading try it , nothing to it. The turret is cast iron and drills and taps easily. I load the same as Bruce B on a turret with the powder measure between the flare die and the seat die.